Rob,I've witnessed alot of drained beaver ponds, and just something you get a feel for. I'm looking at the general area and assuming there is a run on each side of the feedpile. The one farthest from you as you took that video is pretty obvious, and the stub tree may be the edge of the run. The dark ice also indicates activity or shallow dark bottom, and freezes last. Watch out walking on that dark ice this time of year, it can change in warm spells. If you look at the feedpile the brush appears to be thinner in the center, al;so indicating a run under it. Later in the winter these will show brush above ice but the beaver eat them out and are often clearer than they appear now. Low shear banks in the bank also indicate the beaver removed material when forming runs, something to remember when looking for bank dens and bog ponds. I always first look at the outside edges of the feedpiles. With heavy ice and snow later, I chop a small hole in the ice and feel for depressions in the bottom, to indicate runs. Good ice you can often "sound" for runs from the "tone" of your spud on the ice. The runs sound hollow and often the ice is quite thin with even snow cover and extreme temps. The snow insulates them and the receding ice holds air between the ice and water. With so little snow at your current location, you may even be able to see some bubble trails coming out of that house, from the air leaving the beavers fur and their air discharge while swimming under ice. Also in flooded timber or bogs, you can kinda just look and see obvious trails going through the bog and timber to feeding areas or a piece of high bank, where there are likely bank dens feed holes. Your gonna chop alot of duds before you get the hang of it. Likely gonna dull a few spuds on rocky bottoms also. I carry a file in my snowmobile for just such occurances. Chainsaw file too. LOL

I had a good feeling that there was a run going through the center of the feed bed we were gonna set it today but ran outta time and after an hour and half with a wet foot and leg it got cold.. I did notice that there isnt as many sticks sticking outta the ice there it is where we tend to walk also..

Our ice right now is so messed up from that freeze thaw we had that i am not really sure i could see bubbles it is very cloudy.

This is a video take from around the same spot as the one i posted before you can see the run coming out by the smaller pine tree. I also noticed what looked to be a run on the far side of the lodge where the baited 330 is.. So i think your Spot on and if you can do that from a video of the pond i think it would be one heck of a good learning experience to trap with you..

Hey you guys are lucky...you get to drive up to the lodges in your trucks !

IMO...your main run in comming out into that open water off the lodge.

Lol On a Call... In normal years we wouldn't be able to drive to this lodge but this year has been strange with out much snow... Plus i try to make sure where every i trap beaver at i dont have a long carry them dang things get heavy as heck after about 20 yards lol...

Hey you guys are lucky...you get to drive up to the lodges in your trucks !

IMO...your main run in comming out into that open water off the lodge.

Lol On a Call... In normal years we wouldn't be able to drive to this lodge but this year has been strange with out much snow... Plus i try to make sure where every i trap beaver at i dont have a long carry them dang things get heavy as heck after about 20 yards lol...

Yeah, I guess I don't feel too bad here if there's only that much snow in the UP, we're lucky to have any I guess! Good luck on the beavers, trapping them under ice is probably my favorite type of trapping in general. Definitely not easiest or what I'm best at, but I love it! Take what Rally and everyone says into consideration and you'll be dandy! Look forward to hearing of your success. Happy trapping. ScottW

Lol On a Call... In normal years we wouldn't be able to drive to this lodge but this year has been strange with out much snow... Plus i try to make sure where every i trap beaver at i dont have a long carry them dang things get heavy as heck after about 20 yards lol...

Yeah, I guess I don't feel too bad here if there's only that much snow in the UP, we're lucky to have any I guess! Good luck on the beavers, trapping them under ice is probably my favorite type of trapping in general. Definitely not easiest or what I'm best at, but I love it! Take what Rally and everyone says into consideration and you'll be dandy! Look forward to hearing of your success. Happy trapping. ScottW

Scott i sure will i will be rereading everything that Rally has posted same with everyone else.. I hope to have something on the next check which will be tomorrow or Wed Thinking Wed that will give them a good 3 days soak..

I am very happy about the snow to tell you the truth once i get some beaver here i have 2 more ponds to set up but they will only be take one or two beaver from them. This pond i need to get them all..

Hey you guys are lucky...you get to drive up to the lodges in your trucks !

IMO...your main run in comming out into that open water off the lodge.

Lol On a Call... In normal years we wouldn't be able to drive to this lodge but this year has been strange with out much snow... Plus i try to make sure where every i trap beaver at i dont have a long carry them dang things get heavy as heck after about 20 yards lol...

I know this light or no snow makes for a differant year good in some ways. When that ice thickens up a bit more you will be able to drive your truck up to the lodge . Just watch out for the thin ice at the entrance...does AAA cover you for sinking a truck into a beaver pond ?

Rally, I still have a few hundred of your old beaver brackets I made them myself.I've never used the spikes. So I was wondering if you have better success with the spikes.I believe the spikes would get less tangled,take up less space in the sled,and would be quicker to set up,but do they catch more beaver?

I know this light or no snow makes for a differant year good in some ways. When that ice thickens up a bit more you will be able to drive your truck up to the lodge . Just watch out for the thin ice at the entrance...does AAA cover you for sinking a truck into a beaver pond ?

Nice videos .

LOl OAC i dont know about driving on given the fact that i fell through the ice on my last check hahaha.. Sure did make for a long day with a boot full of water and my pants soaked.. I dont know how you would go about explaining that one i could see it now well yea insurance man i kind of sunk the truck in a beaver pond.. No i swear i thought it was he road didnt know the pond was there.. Hahaha

Originally Posted By: Big finn

Rally, I still have a few hundred of your old beaver brackets I made them myself.I've never used the spikes. So I was wondering if you have better success with the spikes.I believe the spikes would get less tangled,take up less space in the sled,and would be quicker to set up,but do they catch more beaver?

Sorry Rob don't mean to hijack

Not a problem Finn i would kind of like to know that also.. I have a feeling even tho i havent caught anything yet that i will be doing more of this under ice trapping in the coming years..

Rob...You need water proof bibs with tight fitting knee high boots or waders. I prefer the bibs as they are more easy to get around in. I cannot tell you how many time I have fallen through...lucky not over my head yet. Most often up to my waist. I get wet but my feet stay dry.

OAC i do have waders but didnt really think of putting them on because where i fell through i had walked over that spot like 25 times same with my brother. I think the water had dropped some and that is what did it funny thing is i feel in the first day we set right by the same spot but didnt get a wet foot that time..

Awesome job Rob see it isn't so hard once you get on location hey?!! You will clean them up fast now that you have confidence in your snare set up. Great job. OT

Ot,Yea i feel much better now it was the snare set up that i moved right up by the lodge Which is where this one came from... So when we check next i will be sticking some more snares around the lodge...

Originally Posted By: Northwind

Nice work Rob!!! WTG...

Thanks Nw And to think i have only feel through this pond three times lol i must be doing something correct..

I also need to add in some Otter sets looked like a family group had moved through you could see where they slid acorss the ice in a couple places.

Yeah I figured it was the pole you moved close to the house, when I snared i was always close to the house, makes catching a whole lot faster! Go get those otter I have one tag left for zone 1 and it is itching in my pocket, but don't think I will get to fill it this year. OT